Marcel Schreur is a skill based visual artist that favours the medium of paint. He is self-taught and started out from nowhere by painting vibrant landscapes that have been labelled post-impressionist by critics. However, since then he has used his unique painting technique and use of colour to tackle portraits and more conceptual work with equal vigour, consequently breaking free from this initial labelling. If anything, Marcel is a pure expressionist as his extensive life experience never fails to play out on whatever canvas he chooses and heavily affect the viewer. Pigeon-holing aside, Marcel has won numerous international prizes as well as being represented by a successful London based gallery. All of this is somewhat inconsequential to a painter who creates largely to affect positive societal, if not humanitarian, change underpinned by his mantra: Life Is Beautiful, Always.

“I wish for my art to create a universe from a viewpoint of peace and tranquillity. I intend for my works to be expressive and passionate while delicate in shape and composition. I very much like to work with colours and spend quality time on the execution but also on the concepts that I am trying to communicate eloquently. I believe that my work can be defined as “Art of the Mind” but also as “Art of the Spirit”, touching upon ideas and sentiments that are important and too often neglected. I like my paintings to be able to speak to and intrigue the viewer” - this is how Marcel describes the concepts behind his creations and his relationship to painting.

Dutch born, artist Marcel Schreur is a self-taught expressionist whose work is redolent of Vincent van Gogh in style and executed with immense texture and a multi-coloured palette. He participated in the Chianciano International Art Awards 2012, winning the European Confederation of Art Critics Award and also received a special mention for artistic merit at the London Art Biennale 2013.

In 2015, Marcel saw his art taking off globally which exhibitions in Koyto, New York, and Rome, amongst others. In June, he visited the Vatican and presented a portrait of Pope Francis and two abstract paintings to the Pontiff. In September, he took part at the Chianciano Biennale in the Tuscany and in October he will have three works exhbited during the United Nations Global Forum on Migration and Development.

Life is Beautiful. Always.

On Saturday 1st November 2014, Brittany Maynard called upon the Death with Dignity Act to prematurely end her life. Production company LIBá felt compelled to share Marcel Schreur’s deeply moving and inspiring story.
“Life is beautiful. Always” says Schreur, himself a long-term cancer patient, diagnosed by specialists as a medical phenomenon; here is his short, compelling video testimonial…

Marcel, aged 51 years has lived most of his adulthood fighting life threatening illnesses:

Two bouts of tongue cancer

Vascular dementia.

Multiple mini-strokes aka TIA.

A permanently compromised immune system.

Plus other medical complications, not to mention the mental, emotional, social and physical side affects.

Specialists told Marcel that having children was an impossibility. 26 years later, with 4 children and 3 grandchildren, Marcel lives to tell his tale. This is Marcel’s philosophy to life: “Life is a gift. All of it.
To give up hope is to give up on life itself.
You’re never alone. The light is always shining, in the moon, the stars and beyond the horizon.
You should be thankful for life every single day.”
Explore Marcel’s journey through his artwork, which express anecdotes from his life. Life is Beautiful. Always.

The video clip "Life is Beautiful. Always." has been shortlisted in the 2015 National Open Art Competition (NOAC) in the UK and Ireland in the Moving Image category. In addition, an international recognition was given for the production through a invite for a screening at the Universal Kids Film Festival in Istanbul.

The Impact of an act of love or a good deed influences many, even beyond ones horizon. Marcel is thrilled to announce that his design created on a life size statue of a baby Asian Elephant called "Impact" has found a new home. The striking design embodies his view on life. Refusing to be nothing but good, he has bled his life on to this little elephant and his canvasses alike. Now the little one has been chosen as a symbol for Mynewsdesk 1 million euro international charity initiative and can also be admired in the Atrium of the Nexus Building in Central London.

When Marcel won a competition by Mynewsdesk for his winning design for the Elephant parade, he could not have envisioned that painting the statue would have such an impact on his life. It took him 3 months to paint the point of impact and the thousands of little hands on the statue. In that period the local community in Kingston Upon Thames took the little one to heart. Working in a public gallery, passers-by from all walks of life came in to see and chat about the beauty, concept and progress. "Impact" particularly struck a cord with the little ones. 6 months after "Impact" left the building, Marcel is still asked daily where she has gone and how she is doing. It brought a smile to many faces. He says "I am thrilled that "Impact" has found such a beautiful setting and this honourable purpose".

The Social Innovation Project will supply each charity with a new all-in-one brand newsroom and multimedia public relations platform free of charge as well as expert training and communications strategy support. Marcel is honoured and humbled to participate in this beautiful initiative. He says "Communication and storytelling is at the forefront of every charity, it is wonderful that a pioneer in this field offers their expertise and platform to sustain charities in this way. Mynewsdesks aim is to do good. I like that" Another milestone added to this up and coming artist.